WEEK ZERO: INTRO MINGLE

[probe]

POPULATION: 37

There's the soft, chiming ding of an elevator as you slowly grow conscious. You remember the sound of a voice whispering in your ear, and then a very gentle, easy darkness as you fell asleep.

Then the elevator jolts, and you promptly ram into some of the thirty or so other people also waking up from their nap. Time to trample people on your way out! Be careful not to rip your flattering outfit with light up furry ears of an animal of your choice. On this elevator there are a total of 10 buttons and they're all lit up! But they don't work. A shame. The elevator doesn't go anywhere else.

In any case, once you exit the elevator, you'll find that you have a decently wide area to explore. There doesn't seem to be any sort of exit to the outside world, but that's okay. You didn't want to leave without what you came for, right? Besides, it's wonderful here: the temperature is perfect, every surface is as soft as clouds, and the atmosphere is so, so inviting. The base itself is low-lit in fluorescent neon colors which shift and pulse over time, and there's a soft, reassuring humming sound under your feet. It would be comforting if you didn't feel like you were being watched every time you walk along the hallways.

But hey, don't worry about that! Maybe you should be more concerned with the phone in your pocket! The phones have a few functions, as well as a low pixel camera. Pictures are in black and white, so no brightly colored selfies for you. Oh, and while you're taking those selfies, you might notice the symbol of your Avatar tattooed and glowing faintly on the back of your hand. Hope you're fine with impromptu body mods.

Eventually during your wandering, you'll find your room with roommates included! On the floor of your room, there is a big gift box with your name on it. Upon opening it, you will be absolutely obliterated with glittery confetti. But once you manage to get past that, the gift box contains the following:

✦ your item from home
✦ a pair of boxer-briefs labeled "ball hammock"
✦ a stress ball that looks suspiciously like a boob
✦ a rainbow bath bomb
✦ a Polaroid camera with 10 instant film
✦ a frozen steak in a vacuum-sealed pouch
✦ a blue and pink dual flashlight; one end has a normal white bulb, and one end has a blacklight bulb
✦ a tiny crown

Welcome to your new home. Take some time to look around, talk to your fellow indulgers. All of you can see each other's symbols on the back of your hands - maybe it'll strike up a conversation. After all, there's no better way to get to know each other than talking about your sins on the first date!

✨ FULL NAVIGATION ✨
🌙 Locations 🌙 IC Profiles 🌙 Statuses 🌙 Private Conversations 🌙
🌙 Audience Requests 🌙 Murder Proposals 🌙 Indulgence Reports 🌙

Comments

[gamerbrain]

[ she covers her eyes with one hand.

and then tries to hit some buttons which takes her a moment because she keeps missing? it's fine, she'll get it eventually ]

[touchups]

[We have two king idiots just buttonmashing on the vending machine.]

Ah! I think I got something. [Well... There's the clatter of some sort of food being deposited, at least?! He picks it up and bundles it behind his back.] Ready?

[gamerbrain]

[ she gets hers, and does the same! ]

Got it.

Do you want to trade?

[touchups]

Hm... [HMM...... He shifts his bag a little behind his back, and eventually shakes his head.] Nope! I'll keep mind. What about you, d'you want a trade?

[gamerbrain]

Got it. Aoi will keep this one.

[ and now... the unboxing! ]

[touchups]

[UNBOXING TIME IT IS.......

And Mahito's got, like. One single cannoli with no toppings or anything. Which he just tilts his head at, watching it roll across his container.]

...Huh. Not sure what this is, actually!

[gamerbrain]

[ aoi has........ taiyaki! well, at least she recognizes the food she got, but. she looks over at the cannoli and ???? ]

Me either.

[ but he said no to the trade, so she takes a bite of her taiyaki. yum yum. ]

[touchups]

[HE WANTS THE TAIYAKI damn... He shoulda traded. With a sigh, he picks his cannoli up, flipping it this way and that before taking a bite from one end. It is...

very crunchy.]

Eh—? Why do I keep getting sweet things...

[IT DIDN'T LOOK SWEET ON THE OUTSIDE??]

[gamerbrain]

Do you not like it? Aoi likes sweets.

[touchups]

Mm, it's not my favorite. Here - d'you want mine?

[He will gladly pawn off his uneaten food.]

[gamerbrain]

Nope! It's too late to trade.

[touchups]

[A BIG FAT SIGH.]

Eh, my luck's not great today! But I guess it could be worse.

[gamerbrain]

You can get something else, even without trading.

[ it's freeeee. ]

[touchups]

[It IS free, she's not wrong. AND YET!!]

It doesn't feel like it'd be aligned with the spirit of the game! Eating this thing is my penalty for losing.

[Did he lose?? It's a cannoli, damn.]

[gamerbrain]

Got it. You have to take your punishment.

[touchups]

Exactly! It doesn't count as a game if the loser doesn't have to deal with a penalty, right?

[All games are penalty games if you try hard enough.]

[gamerbrain]

[ she nods! he says it like a question but she is just absorbing New Information, here. ]

Aoi is willing to play again any time.

[ ... because she won? ]

[touchups]

[This is a terrible existence to be gleaning new information from AOI PLEASE.]

Ah! Do you like games, then?

[gamerbrain]

Boop boop...

[ she has to think about this for a weirdly long moment. ]

Yep.

[touchups]

[That was a weird fuckin answer Aoi.]

Boop boop? [WHAT WAS THAT, TOO?!] I'm not sure if you're certain about that answer or not, you know.

[gamerbrain]

Aoi doesn't play games. Aoi is a character in a game.

[touchups]

[AOI WHAT DOES THIS MEAN his briefly baffled look seems to say. Then, helpfully:]

I don't get it.

[gamerbrain]

[ she's used to it. ]

Aoi is a heroine in a visual novel.

[touchups]

[SHE'S SAYING WORDS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND YET, HE UNDERSTANDS NOTHING.]

Like... for real? [????? Well, there is an entire slew of weird fuckin people from weird planets here.]

[gamerbrain]

For real.

[ wow is he going to actually believe her? he might be the first. ]